Ice gripper for vehicle wheels



July l0, 1951 J. J. KRusE ICE GRIPPER FOR VEHICLE WHEELS Filed May 16, 1950 INI/Emme:- Jof//v J. Imc/$5 Patented July l0, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to anti-skid devices'for 'y attachment to vehicle wheels, and. more particularly to a device comprising' a plurality of retractable traction elements or studs which may be projected radially of the wheel whenever desired and which may be left upon the wheel permanently so as to be ready for use at any time.

One object of this invention is to provide a device ofv the above nature wherein the traction elements are closely spaced apart in a continuous series around the periphery of the device, whereby a plurality of said elements will always be in engagement with the ground or the ice when the device is in operating condition.

Another object is to provide a device of the above nature in which the traction elements are mounted upon a resilient member which receives yieldable support at intervals around the periphery of the device, whereby all of the traction elements will be successively effective as the wheel rotates.

Another object is to provide a device of the above nature, in which the projection and retraction of all of the traction elements will be attained by the movement of a single manually, mechanically, or hydraulically adjustable cam.

A further object is to provide a device of the above nature which will be simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install and manipulate, compact, smooth-running, ornamental in appearance, and very ei'cient and durable in use.

With these and other objects in view, there has been illustrated on the accompanying drawing one form in which the invention may conveniently be embodied in practice.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a front view, partly broken away, showing the improved anti-skid device as it would appear when the traction studs are withdrawn to retracted position.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional View, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing a portion of the anti-skid device on an enlarged scale, and also showing a portion of a wheel to which the device may be attached.

Referring now to the drawing, in which like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral IIJ indicates generally the improved anti-skid device comprising a circular base plate II, which is dished so as to provide an outwardly-odset central portion I2.

In order to facilitate the securement of the base plate II to a wheel W, the oiset portion I2 The opposite end portions of the respectivev bracket plates I5 are provided with brackets I8 which are bent in a reverse direction and then outwardly so as to provide respective semi-circular arms I 9 having a concave shape in a direction radially outward of the base plate II.

The brackets I8 are rigidly attached to the bracket plates I5 by suitable means such as rivets Illa, and are so located as to project radially outward of the outer edges of the bracket plates I5.

The bracket arms I9 serve as seats for an annular tube 2i) of rubber or other suitable resilient material, having a plurality of sharp traction elements or studs 2l projecting from its outer surface. The studs 2I may, if desired, be molded into the rubber at the time of manufacture. n

The tube 20 contains a continuous endless coil spring 22 which has a snug nt within said tube. and which is under suilicient tension to hold the tube 29 seated in the bracket arms I9, and also to urge the bracket plates I5 inwardly toward the center of the base plate II. Inasmuch as the coil springy 22 is snugly engaged within the tube 20, it will be seen that said spring reinforces said tube, increasing the resiliency thereof, and tends to prevent it from collapsing.

In order to project the traction elements 2| outwardly beyond the tread of the wheel W, and thus engage the surface upon which said wheel may be running, provision is made of a ringshaped cam 23 which is secured in a concentric position upon the outer surface of the base plate I I inwardly of the bracket plates I5 by means of a plurality of headed studs 24. The studs 24 are engaged in slots 25 which extend in a circumferential direction in said cam so that the latter may have a limited rotating movement with respect to said base plate.

The cam 23 is provided with a plurality of outwardly-extending inclined noses 2B which engage respective inwardly-extending lugs 2'I integrally formed at central locations upon the inner edges of the respective segmental bracket plates I5.

Operation of the ring-shaped cam 23 is facilitated by an operating bar 28 diametrically attached to said cam and provided with a central nut 29 and a pair of projecting studs 30 which may be engaged by a suitable wrench.

Thus, it will be seen that twisting the ringshaped cam 23 in one direction will press the bracket plates l5 and the tube 20 outwardly against the conning force of the coiledspring 22, so as to hold the traction elements or studs 2l in positions in which they may engage the ground or ice over which the wheel W may travel. When the increased tractive effect of the studs 2l is no longer needed, the cam 23 may be twisted in a reverse direction to release the bracket plates I5 and thus permit the studs 2i tc 'be retracted by the action of the coil spring '22.

Operation In order to prepare the improved anti-skid device IB vfor operation, it will merely be necessary to secure said device to .the wheel W by means ,of the wheel bolts B.

So long as good road conditions prevail, the vehicle may be operated in the normal manner, with the traction elements 2i held retracted and out of engagement with the road surface by the action of the coil springs 22.

When, however, the operator encounters icy or other slippery road conditions, it will merely be necessary for him to twist the ring-shaped cam 23 in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, thus forcing the bracket plates l5, the tube 20, and the coiled spring 22 therein outwardly, so that the traction elements 2l will project beyond the wheel tread 'I' into engagement with the road surface or ice.

One advantage of the anti-skid device herein disclosed is that the bracket plates I5 are permitted a slight rocking movement about the studs I6, so that the brackets i8 may yield when the tube 20 meets with an obstruction or irregularity in the road, and the possibility of damage to the anti-skid device will be minimized.

While there has been disclosed in this specification one form in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this form is shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not to be limited to the specic disclosure, but may be modied andembodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the Vfollowing claims.

in said seats and having outwardly-extending traction elements, and means for moving said lbracket plates-and the annular member thereon outwardly, whereby said traction elements may be projected radially of said device.

2. 4The invention as dened in claim 1, in whichsaid annular member is a flexible tube having a coiled spring therein.

3. The invention as dened in claim 1, in which said annular member is a flexible tube having a coiled spring under tension therein, whereby said annular member will be urged to contracted condition and said bracket plates will be urged inwardly.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1,'in which said means vfor moving said bracket plates cornprises a circular cam rotatably mounted on said base plate, and having inclined cam noses engaged with lugs on said bracket plates, whereby rotation of said cam may move said bracket plates.

5. The invention as deiined in claim 1, in which each of said bracket plates is mounted on said base plate by a stud on said base plate, said stud being engaged in a slot in said bracket plate, whereby a rocking movement of each bracket plate may be permitted when in projected position.

JOHN J. KRUSE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are ci record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,044,812 Roessel June 23, 1936 v2,241,849 Fuchs May 13, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 365,445 *France June 27, 1906 

